DRM maker Denuvo has launched an offensive against cracking groups in response to repeated cracks made for games in which its DRM is included.
The latest casualty comes from Bulgaria, where an infamous member of cracking group REVOLT is based. Voksi, as many in the scene know him, has been hit with a legal case and other issues as a result of Denuvo going after him. Apparently Bulgarian authorities seized servers and equipment belonging to him, bringing down the online presence of the REVOLT group yesterday.
As Voksi explained on Reddit (archived – just in case – on ResetEra):
Sadly, I won’t be able to do what I did anymore. I did what I did for you guys and of course because bloated software in our games shouldn’t be allowed at all. Maybe someone else can continue my fight. It’s bullshit guys, I know, but that’s how the world is run nowdays. By evil.
I contacted Denuvo themselves and offered them a peacful [sic] resolution to this problem. They can’t say anything for sure yet, but they said the final word is by the prosecutor of my case.
These kinds of issues and actions are a constant threat. And not just for pirates either, from intentional bundling of malware as “DRM”, to strategies aimed at combating piracy affecting paying customers; the will of corporations to sabotage products in favor of profits is endless. And until something changes with copyright law and the festering DRM underbelly that protects it, these actions will keep happening. Whatever the future holds, I hope it doesn’t involve more properties like the irritatingly intrusive Denuvo.
We don’t know exactly how this particular case will shake out, but I wish Voksi well in his fight against any charges, and hope he gets through without an unnecessarily harsh punishment.
And with the impending release of Monster Hunter World and Resident Evil 2 Remake, both of which will feature Denuvo, I can’t shake the feeling that more legal action by Denuvo is on the horizon.
And let this be a lesson to all crackers and pirates, practice some degree of discretion, and don’t make yourself known if there’s no reason to.
